Wednesday 28 August 2013

WOYWW #221

So after my beautiful clear desk of last week, see previous post, this week finds me busy making Steampunk ATCs.........except I became distracted..........
I have had to search for my chalks to enable me to finish another set of ATCs and found my paints............. then while looking for my Steampunk box I found a Watercolour paper pad......... tidying up is all well and good but I am still sure that, during a tidy up, more things get lost.
Anyways here is my desk - taken very late on Tuesday night, ok Wednesday morning!!  very early!!  still dark!!!

 My desk has a nice new big bottle of PVA (Lidl again - I do go to Tesco sometimes!!)  A sheet of ATC backgrounds and a box of bits........ not any old bits.  DH stripped down some phones and I had the innards for my ATCs!  There is also a 'stacker' jar of brads etc which I purchased from the Craft Shed all ready for my ATCs (the brads etc not the stacker) ...... when I finish my watercolour now of course!

For all you competitive types: I have set myself a challenge this week - to visit more than the 22 desks I visited this week!
O! Julia! what have you done to me........ and all the others, 143 at my last count!!  All of us here to share our workplaces, learn, laugh, cry, pray and above all else ............ nose!

Happy WOYWW everyone! (Thanks Julia!)

Saturday 24 August 2013

Clean Desk and it's not WOYWW!!

Yes! One clean desk to show.

I was inspired by the size of some of the work spaces / desks during my visits to WOYWWers so I thought I would clear mine and have a look to see the original space, or near enough.


Just look at the size of it!

Even PJ was shocked and he built it!!!

Soooo much room!  I don't really want to put my cutting board back but back it will go .......... if only to 'hide' things underneath!!  

I don't really 'hide' them, I place them under the cutting board to straighten them........... then forget them ........... hence the 'New Home' card my daughter never received cos I couldn't find it!  lol

Onto better things - last week I showed the paper and punches I had bought  - I 'found' these ribbons while clearing 'the space' all bought from Lidl.  I just couldn't resist them, I know I have a stack (just out of shot in the baskets) but there is always room for more!!  
Mention buttons to Julia .............

That sesame bar is still in date.......... defo will not be around soon!!!

Interesting to see how things will be on Wednesday.... nudge, nudge, wink, wink!

Wednesday 21 August 2013

WOYWW #220

I have been to Lidl again - I usually let PJ go to do the shopping cos there's usually lots there to buy - I am greatly impressed with their quality - anyways I went in this week cos there's 'artist' stuff on sale.
I was very good ......... just bought some papers - shiny embossed - and a punch kit.
So here's my desk.......... and the papers ...... and the cards cut from the cover of the book they came in............. and a punch kit - little tiny punchings............. so I'm sitting here on Tuesday evening playing.
Wednesday means PJ and I are up the Hospital again for his physio .............

............. but when I come back I am going to go see ............. going to see how many other desks I can visit before bedtime!!!

Yes! I know I'm sad, so sad I have designated this Wednesday as visiting day ...........

It's all that Julia's fault, but I'm hooked now so there's no going back (don't want to anyways!) see the tab at top of page for more info.
Happy WOYWW day....... see you later......


Sunday 18 August 2013

Get Well........... Oops!!

I do so love this image (find it here at Digistamps4joy) and I hope that my using it for a get well card will not upset the recipient.  I have never met her so that makes it difficult for me to make - this is my second attempt, different image so I will put a different sentiment on the first one.  I hope this raises a smile........


Using an orange card from stash, brown floral paper - again from stash - was adhered to one side.  The image was coloured with my faithful watercolour pencils, trimmed down to size and corner rounded.  I then printed out the sentiment - three times, different fonts and colours - and trimmed and corner rounded this one then popped on 3D foam pads.  I then round the two opening corners and used a plain piece of paper for an insert.

I'm sending this card with love and prayers.

Wednesday 14 August 2013

WOYWW #219

Wednesday already?  Checking out Blogs is a great pastime - I just love it .......... thank you Julia for this pleasure......... see the WOYWW page above.

So what do we have in this very dark picture - taken in daylight I can assure you........... just no flash as I can't be expected to remember everything!!!!!

I am continuing with making a background for an ATC swap - remember the orange bag, still there - I have progressed since then ........... check this out.
If you look carefully - with a torch possibly? - you might see that the feather is still there ........ I still don't know where it came from but it looks like it's not going anywhere yet!!!
For the eagle eyed - the Buckingham Palace ticket is out of date by a year, it will be going into an ephemera grab bag of the future!!
So that's it ........ I'm off to visit other desks .......... and off you should go to visit other desks............ 
Happy WOYWW  or however long you enjoy it for!!!

Friday 9 August 2013

ATC World - Backgrounds

Sometime ago I read somewhere about using the nets that contain fruit and veg to make background patterns.
I have an orange net, cut in two halves to remove the tags and then placed over the card so that the card is completely covered.  I taped the net to the desk, including a small amount of the card so that the whole will be stable.
Then using several ink pads: red, pink, gold, silver, multi etc. I went to work .................


I plonked the pads on, stamping randomly so that the card was covered.  

Sometimes the pad was pressed hard, sometimes just hit on the paper, so that I could see the different effects.  
Next time I will not be so random, and press the pads on gently so that a firmer and fuller pattern is made.

I then removed the netting and was left with a very random pattern, spoilt a bit by the gold hitting the paper a tadge too hard!  From this angle it looks like a face but that was not the intention at all.  It was very much a case of 'random'.   I am pleased with the results and will definitely be trying this out again.  

Here is my second attempt - the bag that held the onions .......... different pattern, got to haven't I!?!?!?

This is the moment when, after fixing the paper and net to the desk, I remembered the photos for the Blog!!

Stamping away with the various stamp pads that I have.  I even tried to make a vague picture of a landscape in the top right corner!!  Artist I am not!



Here are all the stamp pads used and the final spritz before the reveal..........



One more background - ta da!


 Looks a bit bare so maybe I could add something else.......... hhhmmmm!........... 
 
 I bought a set of stencils from 'The Works' - cheap but until they're used one never knows!  The first flower - lower right corner - not that impressed but after changing the inkpad and pressing harder yeah! not bad - good buy! 




Added a few stamps and I'm happy.

This has been a real learning curve for me, thank you Sandie for the opportunity to do this.  I would never have thought of actually using my time to produce such a work of art, it will be difficult to cut up into ATC size but now I know how to do it..............and I still have the orange nets!

Wednesday 7 August 2013

WOYWW #218

Hello!.....
..... not too late am I?

Just in from the Hospital - yeah!   PJ can throw away his cane and maybe tomorrow, after Physio he may be rid of the spaceboot as well.  
Downside is.......... means we're back to work at the Loco Works.  Ah! well, at least he will be able to drive again.
Thanks to Julia (details on WOYWW page above) ......my desk as I left it last night - 


we have:
one red felt tip for edging ATCs.
Three half made ATCs - Theme is 'Favourite Colour', can you guess mine?
Some green backs ready to go onto ATCs
Some artwork from Create with TLC ready to go on cards!
and a feather ........... feather?!?!?!   dunno!

so that's it I'm afraid.

Off to snoop visit even if it takes me all week ....
Happy WOYWW Day!




Tuesday 6 August 2013

Making backgrounds for Cards or ATCs

I am busy trying to make various backgrounds at the moment and will be posting the details later.


  I hope to now start making some cards that will challenge me a bit, changing the shape of the card, making folded ones etc.  



All will be revealed eventually but do not .......... do not ........think for one moment I am lying in the sun......... I AM NOT ......... I have been doing the (insert the H word here) as well as stitching, sorting, re-arranging, weeding.......... you know how it is ......... sometimes you  feel that you must justify the amount of time you spend creating these works of art ............. only sometimes and this has been one of them!!  lol



Saturday 3 August 2013

August Swaps for CWS

Another month and another set of cards.

Melody has set us a great Technique Challenge this month, a sketch which she kindly explained for us simple folk!
I managed to sort all the papers needed and the stickers but took some time choosing the sentiment and printing it on my PC.  I am pleased with the end result although ........... I stuck the black section upside down so quickly had to remove it and make another........ but you'd never know unless I told you!!!






 I used one of my Lacy Sunshine girls - Froggin' Molly -  for the first 1 to 1 swap ...... coloured, fussy cut her and popped her onto a layered background of gold (wall)papers.  I printed the sentiment out and popped it onto the darker gold paper.

I received this gorgeous decoupaged Fairy - sprinkled with fairy dust!
Thank you Carol  






I have several photos from an old calendar and they are just too good to throw away. 
I used this one to represent Summer on my second 1 to 1 card. We have lots of Cabbage White butterflies about at the moment but none of these beauties - they really are a special edition.






CMW is Brown card + purple + one other,
I was sent this label in a Grab Bag from another group and decided to use this as my base for the 'purple' embellishment.  I sorted out the large lavender flowers from my 'Punchings' box, some smaller purple ones alongside some tiny ones, which put together with some leaves made these pretty little flowers.  After I attached the silver butterfly I thought it looked very bare. so it was 'purpled' it as well!